Day after panic, D.C. ponders evacuation plan

WASHINGTON - As Washington settled down from Wednesday’s red-alert panic over a small plane that strayed into restricted airspace, the Beltway buzz on Thursday was likely to be all about why neither President Bush nor city officials were informed of the incident until it was over.

As workers, visitors and others — including the first lady and vice president — streamed frantically from the White House and fighter jets scrambled to intercept the Cessna, the Secret Service decided not to tell Bush, who was riding his bike at Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Maryland.

City officials also were unaware of the incident until after the "all clear" was sounded, Mayor Anthony Williams said.

“Critical and potentially life-or-death information about threats facing district residents needs to be shared immediately — not five, 10 or 15 minutes after the fact,” Williams said. “I am concerned about the apparent delay in alerting key decision-makers in the city.”

Meanwhile, the Secret Service told NBC News that it was satisfied that the light plane's incursion was accidental. The two men aboard the Cessna were released after hours of questioning. A search of the plane found “nothing threatening” on board, an official told NBC’s Pete Williams.

Secret Service and Justice Department officials said no criminal charges are contemplated because there was no evidence of any criminal intent.

They pointed out, however, that both men still face administrative punishment from aviation authorities, which could include revocation of their pilot's licenses.

The White House said the Secret Service held off informing the president because he was not in danger and White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Bush was satisfied with how the situation was handled.

Half-hour into bike ride
Bush was about a half-an-hour into his ride at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Maryland when the airplane came near the White House, sending the Secret Service scrambling to evacuate Vice President Dick Cheney and move First Lady Laura Bush to a secure location.

McClellan said the president’s Secret Service detail was informed about the plane at about 11:59 a.m., when the decision was made to raise the threat level at the White House to “yellow.”

Fighter planes were immediately scrambled to intercept the plane, and the threat level at the White House was raised all the way to “red” before the “all clear” was given at 12:14 p.m.

McClellan said Bush was informed about the incident around 12:50 p.m. at the end of his ride. He left the reserve around 12:57 p.m. and returned to the White House at around 1:30 p.m., well after the security scare had ended.

“The president was never in danger and the protocols in place after Sept. 11 were followed,” McClellan said. “The president has a tremendous amount of trust in his security detail and they were being kept apprised of the situation as it developed.”

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